Top 5 Supermarket Stocks To Watch For 2014

With shares of Wal-Mart (NYSE:WMT) trading around $79, is WMT an OUTPERFORM, WAIT AND SEE, or STAY AWAY? Let�� analyze the stock with the relevant sections of our CHEAT SHEET investing framework.

T = Trends for a Stock’s Movement

Wal-Mart operates retail stores in various formats around the world. The company aims to price items at the lowest price every day. Wal-Mart operates in three business segments: the Walmart U.S. segment, the Walmart International segment, and the Sam�� Club segment. It manages retail stores, restaurants, discount stores, supermarkets, super centers, hypermarkets, warehouse clubs, apparel stores, Sam�� Clubs, neighborhood markets, and other small formats, as well as Walmart.com and Samsclub.com. Through its retail channels, Wal-Mart is able to provide a variety of products and services at affordable prices to consumers and companies worldwide.

Wal-Mart reported third-quarter results Thursday morning that showed retailers are still feeling the squeeze of reduced consumer spending. Wal-Mart�� same-store sales in the U.S. fell during the quarter, showing that its core business of large stores in rural America is struggling, according to Business Insider. Earnings came in at $1.14 per share, beating expectations by 1 cent. Wal-Mart�� revenue of $114.9 billion fell below expectations of $116.8 billion.

Top 5 Penny Stocks To Watch Right Now: F5 Networks Inc.(FFIV)

F5 Networks, Inc. provides application delivery networking technology that optimizes the delivery of network-based applications, and the security, performance, and availability of servers, data storage devices, and other network resources in the Americas, EMEA, Japan, and the Asia Pacific. The company offers BIG-IP, an application delivery controller; VIPRION, a chassis-based application delivery controller; and FirePass, an appliance that provides SSL VPN access for remote users of Internet protocol networks, and applications connected to the networks from Web browser on any device. It also offers Application Security Manager, an application firewall; WebAccelerator that speeds Web transactions by optimizing individual network object requests, connections, and end-to-end transactions from browser to databases; WAN Optimization Manager, which integrates application delivery with WAN optimization technologies; Access Policy Manager that provides secure, granular, and contex t-aware control of access to applications; Edge Gateway, a remote access product, which offers context-aware, policy controlled, and remote access to applications at LAN speed; Enterprise Manager that allows customers to discover and view company?s products in a single window; and ARX product family, a series of high performance and enterprise-class intelligent file virtualization devices. In addition, F5 Networks provides Data Manager, a software product, which interfaces with file storage devices; iControl, an application programming interface that allows customers to control their products in the network; iRules, a programming language embedded in TMOS architecture; and consulting, training, maintenance, and other technical support services. The company sells its products to enterprise customers and service providers through various channels, including distributors, value-added resellers, and systems integrators. F5 Networks, Inc. was founded in 1996 and is headquartered in Seattle, Washington.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By The Oxen Group]

  Thursday's after-hours report from F5 Networks (FFIV) will likely damage CRM, and it also shows the problem facing high-growth names. FFIV said that spending in North America slowed in their latest quarter. While it could be company specific, we believe that the combination of the sequestration, tax increases, and continued lack of employment momentum signals a still moderately recovering economy. With the valuations CRM has, these near-term issues can affect CRM very negatively.

Top 5 Supermarket Stocks To Watch For 2014: Novavax Inc.(NVAX)

Novavax, Inc., a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company, focuses on developing recombinant vaccines for infectious diseases using its virus-like particle platform (VLP) technology. It develops vaccine product candidates that target pandemic influenza, including H1N1 and H5N1 strains; seasonal influenza; and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV). Novavax has a joint venture with Cadila Pharmaceuticals Ltd. to develop and manufacture the company?s pandemic and seasonal influenza vaccine candidates, Cadila?s biogeneric products, and other diagnostic products for the territory of India; and a licensing agreement with LG Life Sciences, Ltd. to use the company?s VLP technology to develop and sell the company?s influenza vaccines in South Korea and other countries. It also has a co-marketing agreement with GE Healthcare for a pandemic influenza vaccine solution. The company was founded in 1987 and is headquartered in Rockville, Maryland.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Jay Silverman]

  Steve Halpern: One lower price biotech stock to follow is called Novavax (NVAX). What's the attraction with that company?

  Jay Silverman: Novavax has very innovative vaccine technology, and historically, they've been a company that's developed flu vaccines and even pandemic flu vaccines, such as the bird flu that's been in the news over the summer in China.

Top 5 Supermarket Stocks To Watch For 2014: SJW Corporation (SJW)

SJW Corp., through its subsidiaries, engages in the production, purchase, storage, purification, distribution, wholesale, and retail sale of water. It also provides nonregulated water related services, including full water system operations, billing, and cash remittances under agreements with municipalities. The company?s water supply consists of groundwater from wells, surface water from watershed run-off and diversion, and imported water purchased from the Santa Clara Valley Water District. The company, through its subsidiary, SJW Land Company, owns undeveloped land in the states of California and Tennessee; owns and operates commercial buildings in the states of California, Florida, Connecticut, Texas, Arizona, and Tennessee; and holds a 70% limited partnership interest in 444 West Santa Clara Street, L.P., a real estate limited partnership that owns and operates an office building. It provides water service to approximately 226,000 connections that serve customers in p ortions of the cities of Cupertino and San Jose, as well as in Campbell, Monte Sereno, Saratoga, the Town of Los Gatos, and adjacent unincorporated territory in Santa Clara County, California. The company also provides water service to approximately 9,200 connections that serve approximately 36,000 residents in a service area comprising approximately 237 square miles in the region between San Antonio and Austin, Texas. SJW Corp. was founded in 1866 and is based in San Jose, California.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Sean Williams]

  Finally, geographic diversity, or lack thereof, can be a worry for water utilities. Although demand seems to be pretty consistent over time, certain regions of the country may be called upon to ration or conserve water usage depending on a drought. This can therefore reduce demand and profits for water utilities that are confined to a region of the country prone to droughts. SJW (NYSE: SJW  ) ��which actually operates in two business segments, water utility and real estate ��is one such company that could experience this shortfall. With just over 225,000 customers all located in the Cupertino and San Jose areas of California, any drought in this region could cause a serious fall in demand.

• [By Marc Bastow]

  Public water utility holding company SJW (SJW) raised its quarterly dividend 2.7% to 18.75 cents per share, payable on Mar. 3 to shareholders of record as of Feb. 10.
  SJW Dividend Yield: 2.62%

Top 5 Supermarket Stocks To Watch For 2014: Weis Markets Inc.(WMK)

Weis Markets, Inc. engages in the retail sale of food in Pennsylvania and surrounding states. Its retail food stores sell groceries, dairy products, frozen foods, meats, seafood, fresh produce, floral, pharmacy services, deli products, prepared foods, bakery products, beer and wine, fuel and general merchandise items, such as health and beauty care, and household products. The company operates stores primarily under the Weis Markets trade name. As of February 13, 2012, it operated 161 stores in Pennsylvania, Maryland, New York, New Jersey, and West Virginia. The company was founded in 1912 and is based in Sunbury, Pennsylvania.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Rich Duprey]

  Mid-Atlantic grocery store chain�Weis Markets (NYSE: WMK  ) announced yesterday its third-quarter dividend of $0.30 per share, the same rate it's paid for the past six quarters.